In Society today.......

Mark Simmons,Senior

Youth Initiatives Project/University Preparatory High School

In today’s society there are many issues that the black community is faced with everyday. The effects of racism, single parent homes and the number of African American families on welfare are among some of the major issues we face today but the biggest issue of all is black on black crime. A study shows African Americans kill themselves more than any other race and for what cost? More African American males are being killed than born. It is very shameful to see African Americans eliminate their own race.
Black on black violence is getting worse everyday. In today’s society an African American male can get killed for saying the wrong street name or even wearing the wrong colors. This makes me wonder what have we become? How can we go from fighting for our rights as a people to fighting each other? It’s sad to know that if I walk down an unknown street at a certain time of night it’s a possibility that I could get jumped or if I happen to wear some thing of value I could get robbed and killed.
The African American communities in known for coming together as a whole so why are we so separate? People have said that African American males are quickly becoming extinct and we are proving that fact each and everyday. We are destroying a dream that many of our civil rights have made a reality. We are defeating the purpose of our freedom.
How it is possible that we have came so far to just throw it all away so easily? African American males feel as if they have to live a certain life to be accepted by their piers. They do not seem to understand that it is ok to do well in school and go on to have successful careers. I believe that the mindset that we have is all wrong and we must change our way before the whole African American race become extinct.